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Tag: Tips for Driving at Night

Driving at night can be dangerous due to low visibility, nocturnal animals, and more. That’s why we’ve put together these tips for driving at night.

Driving at night can be dangerous due to low visibility, nocturnal animals, and more. That’s why we’ve put together these tips for driving at night, from the basics to more complex issues.

According to Popular Mechanics, one of the best things to do is aim your headlights. Not all drivers realize that your headlights are actually adjustable, but this is a great way to improve visibility. You can find the instructions in your owner’s manual, but we do suggest bringing your car to a specially trained technician. Adjusting them too high can blind other drivers, which can create serious issues.

Spend some time dimming your dash and instrument panel. Most modern cars let you easily adjust the lighting on your dash display. If you can’t find the buttons, consult the manual. We suggest spending a few minutes at night to adjust the brightness levels—usually dimmer is better. Also, be sure to avoid using map/dome lights when driving at night, as this can disperse light into your eyes and all around the cabin.

Look for animals when driving at night as well. The best way to do this is to look for their eyes, as racoons, deer, and other animals’ retinas reflect your headlights. Remember, if you see one deer, there are likely more nearby. Dusk and dawn are often the busiest times for animal activity.

Finally, don’t stare at oncoming lights. Some drivers have extremely bright headlights. If they are blinding, look at the white line on the side of the road until they pass. If the driver behind you is shining their headlights into your rearview mirror, you can tilt it down about 45 degrees for some relief.